Bears cornerback Kevin Toliver, who went undrafted after leaving LSU a year early, made his first NFL start against the Buccaneers and might get another one Sunday against the Dolphins.

Bears cornerback Kevin Toliver, who went undrafted after leaving LSU a year early, made his first NFL start against the Buccaneers and might get another one Sunday against the Dolphins. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Four games into the Khalil Mack era, the price the Bears paid to acquire the outside linebacker from the Raiders appears to be a bargain when you consider the scarcity and impact of elite edge rushers.

Mack’s presence has lifted the defense from good to potentially great as the Bears lead the NFC North at 3-1 entering Sunday’s game in Miami. The Raiders, meanwhile, don’t have a hint of a pass rush and will be hard-pressed to get a player of Mack’s impact with the two first-round picks and 2020 third-round pick they received.

The Bears will have to be more productive in later rounds, but one way general manager Ryan Pace can make up for his lack of picks is to continue to connect on undrafted free agents (UDFAs). The Bears have quietly done quality work in that area recently.

The most prominent rookie UDFA is cornerback Kevin Toliver, who could be pressed into a second start against the Dolphins if the Bears give Prince Amukamara another week to rest his injured left hamstring. Toliver was steady in his first start against the Buccaneers and didn’t seem overwhelmed even when challenged by a high-caliber receiver in Mike Evans.

It’s premature to say if Toliver will pan out for the Bears, but the investment of $25,000 ($15,000 signing bonus, $10,000 base salary guarantee) was minimal. To put it in perspective, the Bears’ seventh-round pick, wide receiver Javon Wims, got a $95,912 signing bonus.

“I have to make the most of every opportunity I get because of how I came into this organization,” Toliver said.

It’s not that Toliver lacked the talent to be drafted. He started eight games as a true freshman in 2015 at LSU, which has been a factory for high-level NFL defensive backs. At one point he was the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation — overall, not just among defensive backs — at Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, Fla.

But a suspension as a sophomore was just part of the baggage Toliver carried when he left LSU with a year of eligibility remaining. As one national scout for another team said, “He just wasn’t real accountable for a lot of things.”

Asked if he had earned that reputation among NFL scouts, Toliver said, “Yeah, I did.”

Still, he was talented enough for an investment, and the Bears were able to sign Toliver just after the draft with the Seahawks, Ravens and Steelers also pursuing him.

Not all UDFAs go undrafted because of checkered college histories, but that was clearly the case for Toliver. Others don’t check enough boxes when it comes to measurables or level of competition, or perhaps they are raw at their position like wide receiver Cameron Meredith, a converted quarterback at Illinois State and a gem Pace and the Bears found in 2015.

Toliver is one of six UDFAs on the roster whom the Bears scouted and signed. The most notable are nickel cornerback Bryce Callahan and defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris, key parts of the defense. Tight end Ben Braunecker, outside linebacker Isaiah Irving and offensive tackle Rashaad Coward — converted from defensive tackle this year — are the others. The Bears have 16 players who entered the NFL undrafted, including tight end Trey Burton, wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, backup quarterback Chase Daniel and kicker Cody Parkey.

The best teams identify UDFAs with traits that could make them successful and then develop them. The Seahawks have done a particularly good job under GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll. The Patriots have had at least one rookie UDFA make their 53-man roster for 15 consecutive seasons. The Chargers’ streak is at 22 seasons and the Colts are at 20. The Patriots roster for Super Bowl LII included 18 players who entered the league as UDFAs, including wide receivers Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan, cornerback Malcolm Butler and outside linebacker James Harrison.

Toliver beamed when talking about his current opportunity after watching former LSU teammates Jamal Adams (Jets safety) and Tre’Davious White (Bills cornerback) — both first-round picks in 2017 — thrive as pros. They talk weekly in a group text chat.

Toliver figured he would be a mid-round pick, at worst, when he entered the draft, so he was stunned as the rounds finished and his phone didn’t ring.

“That was the plan,” he said. “That was the goal. That is what everyone was telling me going into the draft. Ain’t get no phone calls, so I had to change my whole mind-set.

“The Bears were rebuilding and the team was still young, new head coach, coach (Matt) Nagy was young with a lot of energy. I felt like it was a good fit for me. We’re young in the secondary. I felt it was the right choice for me.”

Toliver created a positive impression immediately at rookie minicamp by making plays on the ball, and that happened again at the start of training camp before a mild hamstring injury slowed him. He goes about his business like the spotlight is always on him.

“Bryce said you can’t take no days off because they are always watching you as undrafted players,” Toliver said. “They’re just looking for reasons to let you go.”

The Bears will become a more attractive destination for UDFAs as they can show agents and prospects that undrafted rookies get opportunities to make the team and contribute. It wouldn’t be surprising if Pace and his staff put a greater emphasis on this area the next two years. They have to find young talent to infuse into the roster because they’re missing high draft picks.

Mack looks to be more than worth the investment of draft collateral, and the Bears have proved able to uncover prospects, something they did poorly before Pace’s arrival.